


Because Adopting A Pet is Domestic

by isuilde



Series: Respite Verse [3]
Category: Free!
Genre: Domesticity, Kittens, M/M, Unrepentant Fluff, failed half-attempt at smut, implied NagiRei
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-24
Updated: 2013-10-24
Packaged: 2017-12-30 08:40:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1016494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isuilde/pseuds/isuilde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin brings home a strange kitten.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Because Adopting A Pet is Domestic

**Author's Note:**

> I kinda cowered and backpedaled real quick at the attempted smut scene, sorry, lost my courage. For cornixcarnor on tumblr. Inspired by the drama cd.

The kitten is all-black and tiny. It’s shivering in a small box under the bridge, half-buried by the snow, curling into itself with its ears flattened down in an attempt to preserve warmth. It’s also looking up at Rin with huge, blank eyes. 

Rin groans helplessly, because he knows that he’s already lost. He bends down and picks the kitten up by its nape, watches it meow at him, and sighs. 

“You,” he tells the kitten, who blinks up at him. “Are one lucky kitty.” 

**——-o0o——-**

Makoto is ecstatic. 

“Look, Rin, it’s a he!” he exclaims, large fingers keeping the kitten gently on where it’s spread on the coffee table, tangled up in a fluffy towel. Rin is on his knees, pressed up close against Makoto’s back, his chin resting on one of Makoto’s shoulders while one of his arms is slung over the other shoulder. He reaches out with a finger to scratch the kitten’s underbelly, feels rather than hears the soft purr it lets out. 

“I think we still have mackerels left somewhere in the fridge,” Makoto muses. “He’s probably hungry, I’ll get him something to eat.” He shuffles aside, untangling himself from Rin, stands up and goes to the kitchen. Rin gives an affirmative hum, eyes still fixed on the kitten, who is now trying to catch his finger with tiny paws. 

“You’re so not cute,” Rin tells him. The kitten only stares back at him and meows once. 

“He’s a quiet little guy, isn’t he,” Makoto comments, and now he’s settling down behind Rin, broad chest against Rin’s back. His arms wind around Rin, a small plate in one hand, tiny bits of mackerels piled up on it. The kitten perks up, literally jumps to his feet, and when Makoto places the plate on the coffee table, he sniffs the plate once before pouncing on the food. 

Rin barks out a laugh. “Slow down, idiot,” he pokes the kitten’s side, and actually earns a mild glare from the black ball of fur. “You’re going to choke.” 

“What are we gonna name it?” Makoto murmurs, resting his chin on Rin’s collarbone and nuzzling the crook of his neck. Rin frowns, turns his head a little so he can give Makoto an incredulous look, then states, “We’re not naming it anything, Makoto.” 

Makoto looks back at him. “Yes, we are,” there’s a hint of amusement in his voice that makes Rin wonder how the hell Makoto could read him like an open book now. “You’re completely taken to it.” 

The finger that’s scratching the back of the kitten’s ear pauses. “I’m not,” Rin denies, feels the vibration of Makoto’s laughter, and scowls. “It was shivering, Makoto, I was only going to save it from freezing to death, and then we can let it go.” Makoto, the bastard that he is, simply buries his face on Rin’s neck where Rin can feel him smiling wide, what the fuck. “I’m serious, we’re not going to take him in. No way.” 

“Mmm-hmm,” Makoto says lightly into his neck. “What about Neko-chan?” 

“You’re kidding me, we’re calling it Cat?” Rin snorts, then stiffens because damn, he’d just lost, hadn’t he. “Fuck. I hate you.” 

“Kuro-chan sounds good, too.” 

“No. You’ve got the worst naming sense ever, Makoto. Just because he’s got black fur doesn’t mean we should name him after the color—be more creative, why don’t you.” 

The kitten meows blandly. Rin pokes him on the side again, jostling him to the side and earns another mild glare. “Yeah, I know you’d agree with me, champ.” 

“Rinrin, then,” Makoto half-sings, and Rin bops him on the head. 

**——-o0o——-**

The kitten, for some reason that completely eludes Rin, seem to not dislike water. 

Or rather, he actually looks like he likes it. 

Rin stares as the kitten slips into the shower, a tiny mewl the only thing that alerts him of the kitten’s presence. The small ball of fur doesn’t seem to mind the shower blasting full upon Rin’s head, doesn’t even pay attention to Rin as he begins chasing the water that trails down the floor tiles towards the drainage. He slips, falls forward and the momentum sends him rolling until he lands on his back on a puddle of water, and he stays there, silent. 

What the fuck, Rin thinks, and bends down to pick up the kitten by the nape. 

“What are you doing.” He deadpans, watching the drenched ball of fur that seems like a pathetic sight if it isn’t for the pair of golden eyes blinking up at him blandly. “It’s rude to barge in when someone else is in the shower. Fuck off.” 

“Language, Rin,” Makoto’s voice drifts from the doorway, dripping amusement. “He’s just a baby.” And then the shower curtain slids sideways, and Rin yelps, unceremoniously dropping the kitchen as he stumbles back, nearly slips himself if it isn’t for the strong hand steadying his back. He glares up, one hand going up to gently knock Makoto on the head. “Ow.” 

“I just said,” Rin huffs, annoyed. “That it’s rude to barge in when someone else is in the shower.” 

The kitten meowed as he curls into a small ball, seemingly content in the puddle of water. 

“I was just going to get him,” Makoto complains, his lower lip jutting out ever so slightly, and Rin just has to bite it because it’s  _there_. “Mmmn. But if you’re suggesting something else, okay, then.” His shirt’s already completely soaked, Rin notices, and grins as his hand slips under Makoto’s shirt and promptly goes lower. Makoto’s breath hitches. 

The wet fabric feels good against his skin. Makoto is pulling him closer, stealing away the gasp that escapes Rin, and when Rin looks up, there are droplets of water clinging on Makoto’s eyelashes, Makoto’s brows, Makoto’s bangs. He rakes his fingers up Makoto’s back, slides them into Makoto’s hair and pulls down for a kiss. Someone makes a faint growl, which Rin belatedly realizes is Makoto, and it makes the corners of his lips twitch up smugly. 

He steps closer, presses his body against Makoto’s harder, listens to the harsh gasp that Makoto let out, and then his foot bumps into something hairy. Rin frowns, glancing down. Makoto takes the chance to bite on the curve of his neck. 

“Oi, kitty,” Rin mutters, his foot nudging the still silent, unmoving lump of fur. “Get off, we’re getting busy here.” 

Makoto snorts against his skin. Rin yanks on his hair gently, just because it makes Makoto makes that sound that is half-pain and half-pleasure. He nudges the kitten again, harder this time, and the kitten looks up at him in what seems like annoyance, before reluctantly moving away from the shower and patters away towards the doorstep. 

When he disappears behind the half-closed door, Makoto’s hands are snug against Rin’s ass and he’s grinding down. The water’s getting cold, droplets sliding down their skin, soaking the fabric that is Makoto’s shirt and pants, a striking contrast against the heat that rises under Rin’s skin. He twists, one leg hiking up Makoto’s hips even as Makoto pushes him gently and pins him against the wall. 

“That was the first time I saw a kitten looking so happy in the water,” Makoto murmurs into his shoulder. Rin arches up, finds the curve of Makoto’s jaw and latches his teeth there. “Don’t you think that’s—ngh…” 

“Weird, yeah,” Rin pauses, tongue darting to chase the water that trails down Makoto’s chin. “Kinda reminds you of—“ 

Makoto blinks. “Huh.” 

Rin rolls his eyes, because he knows they’re thinking of the same exact thing. He decides to press closer instead, feels Makoto bucks forward against him, and forgets about anything else. 

**——-o0o——-**

“He doesn’t eat much, does he,” Haruka comments, peering at the bowl half-filled with cat food. “There’s still some left.” 

“He prefers human food,” Rin calls out from where he’s sprawled on the couch, half-buried under the blanket. “Fucking haughty kitten.” 

The kitten meows in disinterest, unblinking golden eyes following Makoto as he bustle about in the kitchen, cooking dinner. Haruka comes over tonight, which means Makoto is cooking something with mackerels in it, and Rin thinks Haruka should be thankful to him that he doesn’t mind mackerels. 

“What’s his name?” Haruka’s voice floats again, and this time Makoto’s the one answering. “Doesn’t have one, yet.” 

“Because Makoto has such great naming sense,” Rin snorts out loud. He shifts aside when Haruka throws himself on the couch, jostles Rin by the side and worms his way under the same blanket Rin’s using. This winter isn’t bad; it’s actually less cold than the year before, but Nagisa broke the only kotatsu that Rin and Makoto own a few weeks ago, and neither of them has the time to go out and buy another one. The heater is working well, but there’s nothing like burying yourself under the kotatsu while watching trashy evening dramas and eating oranges.

For someone who’s been abroad countless of times, Makoto comments once, Rin’s awfully traditional when it comes to things like these.

Haruka’s leaning on Rin’s side now, burrowing even deeper into the blanket. “Drop by the pool,” he says. “The kids want to meet you.” 

Rin groans. “Yeah, not looking forward to that. Those brats give me headaches.” He knocks a fist gently against the side of Haruka’s head. “That aside, did you get my message about new athletes recruitment?” 

Haruka makes a sound of indifference. “I don’t swim competitively.” 

“Which is still a waste,” it’s an old argument; Rin knows better than to keep insisting on it, but that doesn’t mean he’d ever tired of mentioning it. Makoto’s footsteps are coming closer, and something smells really good. Haruka shifts, makes space for Makoto between him and Rin, and Makoto drops onto the couch with a huge plate of spaghetti. 

“Mackerel,” Haruka says, draping himself on Makoto’s side and drawing amused chuckles from the taller man. Rin lets his head drop on Makoto’s shoulder, peering at the dish, and sure enough, he sees the tiny bits of mackerels in the sauce. “That smells good.” 

Makoto’s face brightens. “Mom sent me a new recipe. Thought I should try it out.” 

The kitten jumps onto Haruka’s knees, climbs his way up onto Makoto’s thigh and settles there with a small whine. Makoto chuckles, takes a little of the spaghetti onto his left hand and offers it to the kitten. 

It disappears in an instant, leaving a smear of sauce on Makoto’ palm. The kitten licks it clean. 

Rin blinks. “He… likes it.” 

“Mackerel,” Haruka says, bringing himself down to eye-level with the kitten. It stares at him unblinkingly. “He likes mackerel, I think.” 

Makoto glances at Rin, then looks back at Haruka. “Well, not that it’s weird, but—“ 

“He likes water,” Rin murmurs. “And he likes mackerel.” 

“Haru,” Makoto says, and both Haruka and the kitten turns to him. “I mean—Haru. That’s—Rin! We’re naming it Haru!” 

“Oooh,” Rin grins. “Yeah, sure. Let’s name it Haru, so when I’m pissed off I can just kick him.” 

“What,” Haruka says eloquently, and the kitten—Haru—gives an affronted mewl. 

**——-o0o———**

In the end, they have to give the kitten to Nagisa, who is overjoyed to have Haru in his place. 

Both Makoto and Rin are busy, after all—there are times when Rin has to go abroad and Makoto often has to sleep over at the campus because of researches, which makes it somewhat problematic to have pets, especially a small kitten. It’s a something they decide together, but even so, Rin notices the tight corners of Makoto’s lips when they leave Nagisa and Rei’s apartment. 

It’s better this way, Rin reminds himself, tries blinking off the heat gathering in his eyes. Makoto’s never been good at losing the pets he owns, and if they can’t take care of Haru well, it’s better to give him away rather than coming home to find him dead on the floor. And Nagisa’s place is close by, they can always drop by to play. 

There’s no reason to mope around. 

There isn’t. 

When Makoto’s arms pulls him forward and envelopes him in a hug that nearly drowns him, Rin doesn’t comment on the tight grip Makoto has on his shoulders.

Just like Makoto doesn’t say anything when Rin buries his face into his shirt and leaves it damp, either.

**——-o0ofinitoo0o——-**


End file.
